


A New Partnership

by afteriwake



Series: Brought About By The Behind The Scenes Machinations Of One Mr. Mycroft Holmes [2]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angry John, Awesome Molly, BAMF Molly, Deductions, F/M, Mentioned Mary Morstan, Molly makes Deductions, No Need For Hooper, POV Sherlock Holmes, Partnership, Plans, Post-Episode: The Abominable Bride, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Sherlock Holmes/Molly Hooper, Problems Solved, Sherlock's Attempts At Courting, Shocked John Watson, Tea, Touching, Victorian Attitudes, Victorian John Watson, Victorian Molly Hooper, Victorian Sherlock Holmes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-01
Updated: 2017-06-01
Packaged: 2018-11-07 17:54:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11064144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: After securing Margaret’s post at Barts, this time allowing her to practice without the need for her masculine disguise, Sherlock has a proposition for her after seeing her prowess at the skill of deduction.





	A New Partnership

**Author's Note:**

  * For [daisherz365](https://archiveofourown.org/users/daisherz365/gifts), [MizJoely](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MizJoely/gifts).



> This was an answer to a headcanon from **[daisherz365](http://sincerelydayyy.tumblr.com/post/121058568910/let-there-be-headcanons-i)** (" _Sherlock looking on proudly as Molly deduces something that makes John uncomfortable just so they can be alone for five minutes_ ") that was claimed by **MizJoely** for one of my prompt claims and I am now answering as one of my last entries for Sherlolly Spring Fling.

“I daresay your plan has worked wonders,” Margaret said, taking a sip of the tea she had been offered. “Who would have thought that pointing out that there were other police departments and constabularies using female pathologists in their employ and their results are just as reliable, if not more so, would be effective? Going to the governing board of the hospital and pointing out the publicity potential was a risky move, I’ll admit, but there seems to be a novelty aspect that is found...charming.”

“But they are letting you do your work, and that is what is most important,” Sherlock said, seating himself across from her.

“Though admittedly, there were advantages to being clothed in trousers and having my hair tucked p under a wig,” she said thoughtfully. “Attending an autopsy in a dress is a nuisance.”

“But you do remarkable work just the same.”

She gave Sherlock a smug look. “You are vastly more effusive in your praise since you realized Hooper was female,” she said.

“Perhaps it is more I have come to realize that brilliance defies sex,” Sherlock said, giving her a nearly identical smug look. They locked gazes and he felt a slight rise in his internal temperature at the nape of his neck and an almost imperceptible tightening in his trousers. He had expected only one woman in his lifetime to give him this reaction, and in the end, nothing had come of it.

Two was extraordinary.

As was the fact she, unlike Miss Adler, did not appear to want to leave anytime soon.

He was about to make a remark that could be construed as something smart in the jovial sense when the downstairs door banged open. He sighed and felt the heat and joviality in the room dissipate. There had been a new story in The Strand today. He should have known Watson would have complaints as to the “ghost at Baker Street” rumours when he was trying to peddle the legend of Sherlock Holmes.

“Holmes!” he heard Watson bellow before he came up the stairs.

“He’s in a strapping mood, isn’t he?” Margaret murmured before having more of her coffee. That, at least, got some of a smile from him, which still happened to be on his face when Watson made his grand entrance waving a paper above his head. He started to speak and then noticed Sherlock had company. “Dr. Hooper,” he said, the bluster gone out of his tone.

“Watson,” she said, inclining her head. He hid his amusement at her clipped and just barely civil tone behind another sip of tea. Apparently, old sleights did not go forgotten.

He grimaced and set his jaw, as though he was asking the savior to grant him patience, and then he turned to Holmes. “They ran an obituary above my story. The ninth one so far!”

“Another obituary?” Sherlock said. “How many times can I be pronounced dead when any fool who is not after my good name can plainly see I am alive and well?”

Margaret set down her cup and reached across the table, setting two fingers on the inside of his wrist. He warmed at the nape again at the intimate touch, knowing she was making a point to his stubborn friend but enjoying the small bit of intimacy nonetheless. “You can tell the imbeciles at The Strand that Dr. Hooper, head pathologist at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, has examined Sherlock Holmes and declares he has a pulse and colour in his cheeks. He’s not to be on my slab anytime soon.”

“See, Watson? A doctor confirmed it. I am, indeed, alive.” He felt a great deal of sadness when Margaret removed her fingers from his wrist. “The Strand employs imbeciles to fill its pages. Present company excepted, of course.”

“Of course,” Watson grumbled. He looked to the tea service and then nodded. “Enjoying a cuppa?”

“Yes,” he said. “Margaret and I were about to begin discussing how to curtail my brother’s continued attempts to marry me off, now that I have solved her problem of her employment at Barts.”

“I could help with that,” he said.

“Aren’t there other things you should be doing?” Margaret asked.

Watson shook his head. “Nothing of importance.”

Molly sipped her tea for a moment. “So the contentment of your wife and the news she has to share about an impending blessing is nothing of importance?” she asked. “How typical of men, to only care when their needs are met and to care nothing of--”

Watson’s eyes widened. “She’s with child? Surely you jest.”

Molly nodded. “I am, of course, just a simple woman. Not a medical professional in any capacity. I can’t _possibly_ recognize the early signs of a woman bearing a child, especially a woman I happen to see more than her husband.” Sherlock was quite amazed there was so little venom in her voice because if her words had been a dart to wound they would have dealt a lethal blow. He was, actually, quite impressed.

“Well, I...should be off, then,” he said, nodding and walking back to the stairs as if in a daze.

Molly watched him. “I hope he does spend more time with dear Mary,” she said, her face softening and her voice tinged with sadness. “He does love her. He just needs to...learn.” Then she turned to face him. “As you have.”

Sherlock nodded. “”You have quite an astute level of observational skills. When did you know Mary was with child?”

“Three weeks ago,” she replied.

He gave her an impressed look. “I only deduced that fact two weeks ago.” He nodded towards her. “Perhaps we should talk about making use of these skills as a...partnership? As I fear Watson may be otherwise involved.”

“Why Sherlock,” she said with a smile. “I thought you might never ask.” He found himself smiling and this time not bothering to shield the fact from her view or anyone else’s that might come upon them. This could be quite interesting, this partnership of theirs. He would have to see how it all played out.


End file.
